Petty Tyranny | American-Rattlesnake

I attended yesterday’s small, yet spirited, rally against the decision by the Board of Health-at Chairman Bloomberg’s urging-to prohibit the sale of sugary drinks above 16 ounces at restaurants and food carts throughout New York City. There were many civically-minded New Yorkers in the crowd-such as the man seen above-brought together by the capricious whims of our current mayor.

As you can see, the press was well represented, the ABC News reporter above being just one of many journalists eager to document an event that explores a number of important issues, e.g. class divisions, regulatory overreach, etc… The organizers of the rally no doubt attracted more coverage through the strategic deployment of creative graphics and clever slogans such as the fake Coca-Cola cup seen below, wielded by Staten Island libertarian activist Danny Panzella.

The reframing of a popular feminist trope used to defend abortion is particularly apt in this case, since Mayor Bloomberg has been one of the most vociferous defenders of abortion access-to the point of signing constitutionally dubious restrictions upon those exercising their 1st Amendment rights in opposition to abortion clinics-while seemingly taking the incongruous position that your caloric intake falls within the purview of municipal agencies...